Convention & Visitors Bureau Wants New Tax For Advertising

A look at the downtown Dallas skyline. (credit: Matt Goodman/KTVT/KTXA)

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – It could soon cost a little more to stay in a big Dallas hotel.

The Dallas City Council is considering allowing hotels, with more than 100 rooms, to charge an additional 2-percent in sales tax — officially called a Tourism PID assessment.

Funds generated would go to the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau to promote the city as a good place to hold conventions and a great place to vacation.

“We’ve not been in a position to do that in the last 20 years so this would allow us to focus on our regional feeder markets with some paid television, and newspaper, and magazine advertising,” Dallas CVB President and CEO Phillip Jones explained. “So, that’s what the bulk of the money would go for.”

Ultimately Dallas CVB officials say the goal is to make Dallas one of the top five tourism destinations in the country.

Jones said some of the money would be used to produce a national commercial for Dallas.

Currently, Dallas has $5 million to spend on conventions and tourism. Dallas CVB officials said that doesn’t compare to the amount of money being spent in San Antonio — more than double — and other cities outside of Texas.

“I think it’s pure advertising, for the bulk of it,” Jones said. “If you turn on the news and you watch any of the commercials you see San Diego running a spot almost every night and they have a very good 30 second spot driving visitors to their destination.”

If approved, the bureau said the additional taxes could generate an additional $10 million a year.